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Australian 4wd Events




Paul Vanderhorst



Paul Vanderhorst A four wheel driver at heart, Paul was either perched on a motorbike, sailing or at the wheel of his off road buggy well before he took to the roads in his four wheel drive, at 18 years of age. Now with more than 20 years of four wheel driving under his belt, he has turned four wheelin into his work through the running of the 4x4 challenge events.

Paul's love of four wheel drive competition was born through his active involvement in his four wheel drive club, and was further fuelled when he joined forces with Roger Smith to take out the coveted Malaysian Rainforest Challenge in 1998. Paul backed Ron Moon's initial magazine forays with his experience as competition manager and continues this roll with the ARB Warn Outback 4x4 Challenge and Alpine 4x4 Challenge.

Paul has travelled extensively overseas and throughout Australia. His adventures include:
  • Sailing the Tongan Islands
  • Competing in the sailing race from Melbourne to Tasmania across the Bass Strait
  • Scuba diving
  • Many four wheel drive competitions

Paul's Jeep



Paul's Jeep

If you think it takes a tough vehicle to compete in the ARB Warn Outback 4x4 Challenge imagine what is necessary to set up the courses!

Paul Vanderhorst has been driving his Jeep Wrangler since he bought it in 2000 and most of it's miles have been on enroute to Broken Hill or on the station properties in the surrounding region.

To give you an idea of what is required to set up special stages, Paul will visit a property and investigate the terrain and then look at what is possible or in some cases impossible. Quite often Paul finds the himself (and Jeep) hanging from the end of his winch rope just to see if something is driveable. Often it's not and the special stage has to be rethought.

Paul's Jeep

This is however a part of the job that Paul really loves and the 3 months or so he spends setting up and sourcing stage areas are the best times of his year.

Doing it in a realiable and trusted vehicle is the key. Whilst the Jeep doesn't have all the bells and whistles of many competition 4wds, it drives every course and then some!

The engine is standard Jeep petrol 6 and it's maintained by Outback 4wd in Bayswater Victoria. Sitting on the front is a tough ARB bull bar which has served the vehicle well against animal strikes on the outback jaunts.

Paul's Jeep

One the bar is a set of IPF driving lights which Paul reckons makes the difference between being able to travel long distances at night. "It lights up the sky and reduces eye fatigue" says Paul. "This means I can easily leave Broken Hill in the afternoon and travel all the way home without getting tired". The ARB headlight wiring upgrade kit helps too.

Cradled in the bar is a 8000lb high mount winch which has been given a real beating over the past 6 years, but is still going strong.

Paul believes in keeping the centre of gravity as low as practical for these types of competitions and his suspension has received a two inch lift along with the OME suspension components.

Of course ARB air lockers sit in the front and rear - you just would not consider anything else!

Long Range Automotive fitted an auxillairy tank pretty much as soon as we bought the vehicle as the original tank was not big enough. "Now I can drive from Mildura to Melbourne without refuelling".

Road traction is maintained by a set of 35" Procomp XTerrain tyres. It's no surprise that these are the official tyres for this event "they are so tough I've not had one puncture in the 3 years they've been on the vehicle" says Paul. "And I've done a lot of miles cross country on the Poolamacca Rocks". They are also pretty quiet and that really counts when you are driving a soft top on the bitumen for more than 10 hours.

"I really love this Jeep" says Paul "mind you I do have my eye on the new 5-door Wrangler - then I can take all the kids with me!"

Paul's Jeep